Beer can punch



Au 24, 1954 L. R. MANTHEY BEER CAN PUNCH Filed April 7, 1953 Louis R.Mamhey INVENTOR.

all

4016201. 7 Wavy 3M Patented Aug. 24, 1954 Louis E. Manthey,

two-thirds to S. T. of Odessa, Tex.

Houston, Tex., assignor of Jones and A. P. Brown, both Application April7, 1953, Serial No. 347,311

. 2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to certain new and useful structural andfunctional improvements in what may be conveniently referred to as abeer can punch, atype of a punch which is in the form of a hand ,tool orimplement and which is so constructed that it serves to,simu1-.

taneously punch two beer can.

There are, of course, many and varied styles and forms of can punchesand some which are constructed to punch two holes in the can at the sametime. However, the can punch which is most commonly seen on the marketand in use is one which fulcrums on and hooks over the one edge of thebead of a can which. terminates in a substantially V-s haped punch witha pointed curving beak which penetrates the can in such a way as to forma substantially triangular pour hole. By way of contrast, the presenttool is one which is characterized by a pair of substantially duplicatev-shaped punches which simultaneously function to punch two triangularpour holes through the can top.

More specifically, novelty is predicated on the dual or doubletriangular punch construction whose pointed vertices start punching andcutting from the inside portions of the top of the canand in a so-calledsidewise manner which action serves to relieve air pressure equally fromholes in the top of the both sides of the can and prevents undulydisturbing the beer in the can, especiallyif it is not as cold as itshould be for quick and reliable punching and opening requirements.

It is an obvious object of the invention to structurally, functionally,and otherwise improve upon beer can punches by providing one having theaforementioned structural characteristics and facilities and whichincludes in addition, a yoke which straddles the can and serves toprovide diametrically opposite fulcrum-hooks, said hooks beingreleasably and conveniently engageable with the bead of the can in amanner to provide proper leverage for quick and easy can punching andopening results.

Other objects, features, and advantages will become more readilyapparent from. the following description and the accompanying sheet ofillustrative drawings.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein like numerals are employedto designate like parts through the views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view showing a fragmentary portion of a beercan or similar container and showing the improved punch and the mannerin which the same is used;

Figure 2 is a view based on Figure 1 showing how the dual acting punchespenetrate the can when the handle portion of the lever is pusheddownwardly; t

Figure 3 is a plan view, fullsize, of the improved beer can punchshowing the particulars in the construction thereof;

Figure 4 is an end elevation observing the structure of Figure 2 in adirection from left to right; and, it

Figure 5 is a top plan view showing the manner'in which the holes, ofusual triangular form, are punched in the top of a can. i In thedrawings, the beer can is denoted by the numeral 6 and it isconventiona1 and includes a circular top 8iand a marginal head It]. Thediametrically opposite holes which are simultaneously formed in the, topare denoted by the numerals l2 and M.

The tool itself is a rigid one piece metal structural unit, one end ofwhich is formed into a transversely curved rigid handle [5 having ahang-up hole I8. The left hand end portion of the handle is struck outto provide a bottle cap opener or lifting hook 20. At this same endthere is a gradually widened portion which may be conveniently referredto as head. The

portion 22 of the head is coplanar with the handie and the complementalhalf-portion 24 has a bend 26 whereby said portion 24 inclines at anapproximate thirty degree angle to bring about the desired transmissionof forces and the dependable leverage principles required. This portion24 has a curvate edge 28, the center of which is denoted at 30. Byreason of this formation it is convenient to refer to this obliquelybent half-portion 24 as a sort of a yoke. This yoke straddles the top ofthe can and at the ends of the curvate portion, that is on oppositesides of the central point 30, can punches 32 and 34 are formed. Theseas shown in Figure 4 are substantially triangular and they have theirpointed vertices, which may be described as beaks 35--35, angled andbent to properly penetrate and puncture the top of the can.

Disposed outwardly of the can punches are what may be calledfulcrum-hooks and these are denoted by the numerals 36-36 having billportions til-38 positioned to properly engage the bead of the can in themanner shown in Figure 1. In this position, the yoke takes a positionwhich is substantially perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the topof the can. The can punches 32 and 34 being at approximate right anglesto the plane of the yoke immediately take the correct positions so thata very slight down pressure on the handle serves to drive the pointedbeaks 35 through the can tosimultaneously punch holes and provide efiective venting results. It follows that even if the beer in the can isslightly warm and the can is. not as effectively and securely held as itshould, be, these two holes will vent the gases and prevent thebeerfromsurging out in an often embarrassing and undesirable manner. The factthat the punches are located inwardly of the fulcrum-hooks and alsolocated on opposite sides of the center point 30, brings about thedesired allocation of elements" and the resultant distribution ofpressure andfor'ces to insure the double puncturing step in an obviousmanner. The provision .of oblique angled yoke'having anchor hooks whichgrip the head of a can atdiametrically opposite points with the yokeperpendicular to the horizontal plane of the can and the inwardly-l'oc"-t'ed triangular 1 punches provides ari'ap'tly' constructed,easily usable and reliable tool. It will-beunderstood that the crown caplifter 20 is an incidental feature but contributes to theover-allutility ofthe tool.

"From the foregoingg'thea construction and operation of the device willbe readily understood andfu'r'ther explanatiori is-"believed to beunnecessary. However, since "numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur-to those skilled irithart/Qit is not'-"desired to limitthe invention tothe' exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents' may be resortedto 'fallin'g within the scopeof the appended Claims.

What is claimed asnew is as follows:

1. A beer can "punch comprising a substantially straight rigidhan'dlehaving anenlarged. rigid head at one end of said handle, said headembodying a substantially flat segmental portion which is"immediately'adjacent to said one end and is substantially coplanar withthegeneral plane of said handlegs'aid head further embodying acoir'ipler'r ientary integral yoke, said yoke being adapted tosp'anthe-end portions of being situated inwardly of the adjacentrespective hooks.

2. A beer can punch comprising a substantial- 1y straight rigid handlehaving an enlarged rigid head at one end of said handle, said headembodying a substantially flat segmental portion which is immediatelyadjacent to said one end and is substantially coplanar with the generalplane of said handle, said head further cmbodying a complementaryintegral yoke, said yoke beingadapted to span the end portions of thestated beer" can, said yokehaving a substantially curvate crotch portionprovided at its respective outer ends with a pair of hold-down andfulcruming hooks,said hooks being coplanar with each other and in thesame'plane with said yoke and having bill portions turned in t0-' wardeach other, said yoke being oblique to the plane of said segmentalportion and the edge defined by said curvate crotch being provided withcompanion can punches, said punches being situated inwardly of theadjacent'respective hooks, said punches being substantially triangularin form, at right angles to the plane of said yoke, and situated atcircumierentially spaced "equidistant points on opposite sides of thecenter point of said curvate crotch.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,670,676 Anderson May 22, 1928 2,052,084 De Trempe Aug,25,1936

